CBP at Anzalduas International Bridge Seize $2.5 Million in Narcotics

Release Date:

August 28, 2013

ANZALDUAS, TEXAS—U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Anzalduas International Bridge seized $2,510,000 worth of narcotics and arrested a man from Colima, Colima, Mexico in connection with the failed smuggling attempt.

"Our frontline officers at Anzalduas have once again prevailed and detected this significant amount of hard narcotics with the assistance of our vehicle non-intrusive imaging system," said Efrain Solis Jr., port director, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas. "This interception will definitely assist in helping keep dangerous drugs out of our streets."

The seizure/arrest occurred on Tuesday morning, August 27, at the Anzalduas-Reynosa International Bridge after CBP officers encountered a gray 2011 Renault Fluence driven by a 49-year-old male Mexican citizen. After presenting his Mexican passport with U.S. visa, a CBP officer referred him to secondary for a more thorough examination. During the secondary inspection and with the use of a vehicle non-intrusive imaging system, officers discovered packages of suspected narcotics concealed within the vehicle. Officers extracted 21 packages weighing approximately 9.14 kilograms (20.15 lbs.) of alleged heroin and six packages weighing approximately 7.02 kilograms (15.48 lbs.) of alleged cocaine. CBP seized the narcotics, which have an estimated street value of $2,015,000 for the heroin, $495,000 for the cocaine and seized the vehicle as well.

CBP arrested the adult male traveler and subsequently released him to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for further investigation.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.